Digital media drives political advertising to record high

Digital media drives political advertising to record high

Political parties have spent around 15 per cent of their Rs 2,000-crore (Rs 20-billion) advertising budgets for this year’s Lok Sabha elections on the online medium.

In comparison, they had spent almost nothing on digital campaigns in the previous general elections in 2009.

Estimates by the country’s largest media agency network, GroupM, indicate that national and regional political parties spent 50 per cent of their campaign advertising budgets this year on television, nearly 15 per cent online, 10 per cent on the print media, and the rest on radio and outdoor displays.

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Image: Political parties have spent around 15 per cent of their Rs 2,000-crore (Rs 20-billion) advertising budgets for this year's Lok Sabha elections on the online medium.Photographs: Reuters

Digital media drives political advertising to record high

According to Jwalant Swaroop, former chief operating officer of Lokmat Media and now an independent media analyst, half the political advertising in 2009 went into the print media, while television received around 30 per cent and radio and outdoor displays accounted for the rest.

Political advertising this year does not mirror corporate trends.

GroupM estimates suggest 6.5 per cent of the total advertising spend of Rs 38,500 crore (Rs 385 billion) went into the online medium in 2013.

With heavy political spending this year, digital platforms could corner eight per cent of all advertising revenue.

Digital media drives political advertising to record high

The Congress began its campaign almost two months ago. BJP, which started last month, has peppered major cities with billboards carrying images of its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi.

The Modi wave is also visible online -- YouTube, Twitter and Facebook are bombarded with messages and videos by Modi’s campaign team. Voters are also treated to television advertisements and text messages celebrating Modi’s work in Gujarat and BJP’s policies in general.

“The strategies used by the two national parties are vastly different,” said Swaroop.